A few weeks ago, I referenced the Pew Research Center report that noted the increase of the category known as the Nones, people in America who describe themselves as having no religious affiliation.
According to that report, the percentage of the Nones increased by about the same percentage as the decrease in the number of people who call themselves Christian.
Breaking down the data more finely, Pew found that the decline in people who identify themselves as Christian is almost exclusively among Roman Catholic and mainstream Protestant denominations.
Evangelicals and traditional African-American Christian groups actually held their own according to the study.
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The last of the Sixteen Characteristics of the CGGC brand to be added to my list is Creeping High Church-ism.
And, it strikes me as being far more than interesting and ironic that, as the decline of the CGGC continues, there is a noticeable movement, within the CGGC among its leaders, toward the very sort of high church Christianity practiced among Roman Catholic and mainstream Protestants--the groups in decline in the United States today.
The truth is that, even in a moment of decline, there are some strains of Christianity in America which are proving to be resistant to the trends that debilitate the work of the influence of the church.
And, at the very time when it is high church Christianity that is reeling and low church Christianity that is, at least, holding its own in a hostile environment, more CGGC leaders are becoming high church as they sport clerical collars, hang crosses around their necks and as more CGGC pastors promote observance of the liturgical calendar.
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The CGGC was born in an era when it was riding a wave of the working of the Holy Spirit. It was growing in number and in spiritual power and was a leading light in moving the culture forward.
Today, as it declines, it is embracing everything that is lifeless and dying and failing.
We so need to repent.
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